Wire-fence ratchet



(No Model.)

J.STAUPF ER. .WIRE FENCE RATCHET.

Patented June-13, 1893.

1 ATTORNEYS INS-NORRIS FETERS cu. PRQfQ-LITHO \ngAsHmnwN n c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN STAUFFER, OF ALPHA, OHIO.

WIRE-FENCE RATCHET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 499,260, dated June 13, 1893. Application filed February 17, 1893- Serial No. 462,693- (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.

Be i knownthat I, JOHN STAUFFER, of A1- pha, county of Greene, State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvement in Wire- Fence Ratchets, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved and useful wire stretcher for that class of fences that are provided with wire barriers, by the means of which the slack that occurs in the wires from time to time may be taken up. I

To this end my invention combines'simplicity, economy and durability, in that its construction is such that it may be applied to any post, regardless of the design, shape or material thereof. Therefore it may be purchased by the consumer independently of the post or wire, and placed in an operative position by any one. s

The novel features of my improved wire stretcher will be described in the specification and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings to which reference is now made.

Figure 1. is a front elevation of an ordinary post showing five of my improved wire stretchers attached thereto; Fig. 2.a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3. a detached side elevation of the stretcher; Fig. 4. a plan view of the same with the gravity pawl removed; Fig. 5. a front elevation of the same; Fig. 6. a horizontal section on the line X-X of Fig. 3, showing the gravity pawl removed. This view also shows an enlarged cross section of a post, and the preferred Way of securing the device thereto. Fig. 7. is a detached detail horizontal view of the wire spool with ratchet thereon; Fig.8. a front elevation of the gravity pawl, detached; Fig. 9. aside elevation of the same; Fig. 10. a side elevation of the frame with the spool removed.

A represents a post of the ordinary kind; any manner of post that is suitable for the purposes of a wire fence, will be equally available for the application of my device.

B represents a rectangular frame, con-' structed with an opening in the rear part through which the wire is introduced to the spool. The frame is attached to the post by means of fasteners a; these fasteners are passed through an opening in the post, thence through an opening b in the rear of the frame and thence through openings c-c in the sides of the frame and the ends bent around the post and the sides of the frame ina way that attaches said frame rigidly to the post, as is shown in Fig. 8; there are other ways, however, of attaching the frame, and it may be placed on either side of the post. The frame is provided near its outer ends with eyes f conforming to the diameter of spool O, in which said spool has its hearing. The spool is secured therein by a pin g, entering opening h; on the portion of the spool projecting on the outside of the frame, are ratchet teeth 0' and a square end C which are integral with the spool, and adapted to occupy a position 9n the outside of the frame as is shown in the drawings; when the-spool is inserted endwise through the eyes f" no part of the ratchet enters the inside of the frame. This is a desirable construction, as the same is not in the way of the wire being wound upon the spool, and further it does away with-the necessity of employing an additional pin to prevent the spool from leaving its bearings endwise, and still further it closes the eye adjacent thereto; the spoolv is preferably made with its bearing portions of a single diameter; this not only makes an exceptionally strong stretcher, but the wire is enabled to wind evenly from end to end, without the liability of getting into the bearings as it would be apt to do, were the bearing parts made with a smaller diameter than the winding part of the spool. The opening in the spool adapted to receive the pin 0, it will be observed, has

a capacity for receiving also, the end of the wire; by this double entry of the pin and the wire in said opening, a possible displacement of either is prevented when the spool is being rotated.

The frame is provided with a lateral extension or ledge d, projecting over the ratchet teeth; 6 is a vertical socket or slot therein extending partially into the side of the frame; in this socket a gravity pawl f, having an inclined lower extremity with a lateral projection or toe f, is adapted to work; this pawl normally rests in a vertical position upon the ratchet C and by reason of the construction of its lower extremity,'is enabled to fill the space of a tooth, thereby securely maintain- .ing the ratchet as the pawl falls by gravity in the teeth thereof, as said ratchet is turned to take up wire. The pawl for thus engaging the ratchet has a longitudinal bearing in the slot e, which as before stated, extends partially into the side of the frame; it will therefore be seen that the bearing provided for it is suiiicient to enable the pawl to withstand all the strain it may be required to meet, and also that its removal from the socket by any one who may be disposed to tamper with the device, is impossible, as the toe f will prevent its displacement. It will be observed that the pawl is free from any pivotal connection with the frame, but is maintained and guided in a vertical position by being confined in the socket.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. In a wire stretcher, the combination of the frame having a vertical socket and openings as herein described, a winding spool, provided with ratchet teeth, and mounted in said frame, a pivotless gravity pawl adapted to fit in the Vertical socket in said frame, substantially as herein described.

2. In a wire fence stretcher, the combination with a rectangular frame having a ledge on one side thereof, a vertical socket extending through said ledge and partially through the side of the frame, and openings as herein described, of a winding, spool, the winding and bearing surfaces thereof being of the same diameter, ratchet teeth near the end of said spool, a gravity pawl adapted to fit in the socket in the ledge and side of the frame, and to normally rest in a vertical position in said ratchet teeth, substantially as herein described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of February,

J OIIN STAUFFER.

lVitnesses:

GEORGE I1. W001), R. J. MCCARTY. 

